Chemical Abstracts owes much to Massie

Monday

Mar 31, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 31, 2014 at 10:16 AM

Robert Massie will retire today from Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of the American Chemical Society, after serving 21 years as president. His contributions to the world of scientific endeavor, not to mention his personal contributions to our community, are monumental.

Robert Massie will retire today from Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of the American Chemical Society, after serving 21 years as president. His contributions to the world of scientific endeavor, not to mention his personal contributions to our community, are monumental.

When I first started in the world of research in Europe in the early 1970s, I was aware of Chemical Abstracts as a publishing entity that used individual experts to review scientific publications and to reduce that complexity to valuable brief abstracts that help scientists and other professionals all over the world.

In 1992, it was a struggling company becoming overwhelmed by the explosion of information with the birth of the information age. Fortunately, Massie was persuaded to leave a lucrative career to take on the challenge of saving an enterprise that had the capacity to transform the scientific enterprise. He changed Chemical Abstracts; it became the only organization to comprehensively " find, collect and organize all publicly disclosed chemical substance information."

Its databases allow exploration of scientific articles, patents, chemical structures and much more in 50 different languages. Today the company is an astonishing place where computers and energy and infrastructure demands rival those of an industrial complex.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of researchers take advantage of our Columbus resource.

We in Columbus benefit from that achievement in many ways, not only with a worldwide reputation centered here in Ohio, but also by the economic benefit that Massie has brought to our community through the 1,300 jobs that are supported by Chemical Abstracts. His personal traits are equally laudable; anyone who has met him knows his care and concern for others and his contributions to our community.

The main building on the company's campus on Olentangy River Road is to be named the Robert J. Massie Building in a ceremony on Thursday. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute. For generations to come, our community will be reminded that Massie is a very special person with the highest values.

The world of scientific research, from China to the Middle East to Australasia to South America, knows about Columbus because of him.

Let's all celebrate Massie's contributions. Thank you, Bob.

JEFFREY WADSWORTH

President, CEO

Battelle

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